The Coronavirus thread

I flew for the first time (at least recreationally) last week (and this week), and the airports are pretty miserable. Long lines like I have never seen, security lines stretching almost to the door and out in some terminals, and seemingly barely moving. Check in lines also long. I don't know if this is due to staff shortages, more people flying, COVID precaution (additional questions and screening etc....) , or a combination of all, but its not fun.... Planes switching gates and getting delayed at the last minute (far more than usual from my observations, it seems like almost every gate had delays or changes, sometimes they would even just announce they don't have the staff for the flight).

You also have to wear a mask the whole time in the airport (and on the planes of course) unless you are actively eating, which can get annoying very fast (I think its smart and necessary, I fully support masks in planes, but that does not make it fun).

Just not a fun time to travel (at least the actual airport aspects of travelling), I hope things renormalize before I fly again. I would advise arriving even earlier than you normally do (and I am somebody who always arrives at least the two hours early at the latest).

Quote: Gandler

I flew for the first time (at least recreationally) last week (and this week), and the airports are pretty miserable. Long lines like I have never seen, security lines stretching almost to the door and out in some terminals, and seemingly barely moving. Check in lines also long. I don't know if this is due to staff shortages, more people flying, COVID precaution (additional questions and screening etc....) , or a combination of all, but its not fun.... Planes switching gates and getting delayed at the last minute (far more than usual from my observations, it seems like almost every gate had delays or changes, sometimes they would even just announce they don't have the staff for the flight).

You also have to wear a mask the whole time in the airport (and on the planes of course) unless you are actively eating, which can get annoying very fast (I think its smart and necessary, I fully support masks in planes, but that does not make it fun).

Just not a fun time to travel (at least the actual airport aspects of travelling), I hope things renormalize before I fly again. I would advise arriving even earlier than you normally do (and I am somebody who always arrives at least the two hours early at the latest).

I think it depends on the airline and airport. I’ve flown at least 10 times over the past year. The only issue I’ve really ran into is extra-long, slow-moving bag check lines. I do have TSA pre-check so that helps with security (well worth the $85 investment for five years).

I guess the other issue I’ve seen is a lack of things open in the airport. Very few food options at some places, although that has gotten better lately.

Quote: ams288

I think it depends on the airline and airport. I’ve flown at least 10 times over the past year. The only issue I’ve really ran into is extra-long, slow-moving bag check lines. I do have TSA pre-check so that helps with security (well worth the $85 investment for five years).

I guess the other issue I’ve seen is a lack of things open in the airport. Very few food options at some places, although that has gotten better lately.

Oh yeah TSA precheck is necessary, sadly not every airport (or at least not every terminal) has such lanes.

It certainly beats the regular lines even in normal times, though for me, I think the main benefit is not having to unpack all of my electronics from my carry on like a madman while doing other stuff, that was always the worst part of security for me.

Honestly, I don't eat at airports anyway (unless there is a delay and I am stuck on a really crazy layover), so that does not bother me as much as others. Some duty free stores do appear to be closed though (or at least much less hours).

Though, the airlines I was was on did not serve alcohol, so if you like to drink on the plane that is a bummer (from my understanding this is a policy some airlines adopt on their own, not a mandate).
I think this is to minimize mask off time (people tend to drink alcohol drinks slower) and to combat hostile behavior which exasperstes while drinking.

Quote: Gandler

I flew for the first time (at least recreationally) last week (and this week), and the airports are pretty miserable. Long lines like I have never seen, .

Can't be as bad as when I flew back from Las Vegas in February of 2002. The security line was 4 and 1/2 hours long. It's snaked all through the airport. It was five months after 9/11 and it was miserable. How old were you in 2002, nine years old?

Quote: Evenbob

Can't be as bad as when I flew back from Las Vegas in February of 2002. The security line was 4 and 1/2 hours long. It's snaked all through the airport. It was five months after 9/11 and it was miserable. How old were you in 2002, nine years old?

Not too far off.

I did fly a lot as a child with my parents though. I would be lying if I said I had any memories of airport security (it must have been uneventful, because I tend to remeber scenarios that stressed me out and crowds tend to stress me out, especially when I was young), I don't think we went anywhere in 2002 in 2001 we did but it was prior to 9/11.

Better not let the TSA see this:

Dumbass Gov of TX catches Covid.

Last night:



He’s fully vaccinated so not experiencing any symptoms. Just gotta enjoy the schadenfreude.

Quote: Gandler

Just not a fun time to travel (at least the actual airport aspects of travelling), I hope things renormalize before I fly again. I would advise arriving even earlier than you normally do (and I am somebody who always arrives at least the two hours early at the latest).

I fly quite a bit and my goal is to be the last one on the plane and they are shutting the boarding door as I get to the gate.

"CDC researchers compared weekly data from 3,862 nursing homes and long-term care facilities spanning March 1 to May 9, before Delta became widespread, to data from 14,917 such facilities covering June 21 to Aug. 9, when the variant was responsible for the majority of new infections.

They found that efficacy of the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna for preventing any coronavirus infection – mild or severe – dropped from 74.7 per cent to 53.1 per cent. Effectiveness estimates were similar for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, they said."

Nursing home? Not really surprised at that result. Lots of people already in poor condition.

Quote:

Nursing home residents are at high risk of infection because of immunosenscence, multiple comorbidities, nutritional deficits, and environmental exposures. Vaccine-preventable infections are common, but vaccine efficacy is diminished in this population because of the factors listed above.

https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/48/4/443/283939